Pokemon: Guardians of Light II- The Journey Home
by SilyaBeeodess
Summary: "No matter what I face, no matter what the voyage, I swear on my life that I will find my way back to you. The question is... who do I return to?" After the events at Temporal Tower, a new future of peace and light has been brought to the world. But for young Lira, who still has much to learn and remember, the fight is far of over. For her, only new dangers and darkness await.
1. Chapter 1: Awaken, Young Guardian

_((__**Author's Note:**__ Hello and a big thank you to the fans who've stuck around to read the sequel to PGL! Without your support, I likely would have given up on this some time ago, so again, thank you. _

_I am going to warn you ahead of time though: As you follow Lira's adventure here in part two of her story, things are going to take a very different twist than that from the game. Due to the circumstances, it won't even be much of a PMD story until the very end, which will continue on into Part III. As for what to expect… Well, guess you'll have to find out on your own. However, I will say that we'll see just how tough our Aura Guardian girl is on her own. _

_Enjoy reading!))_

…

_I am silence. I am stillness. I am nothing. _

_No movement. No soul. No spirit. No memory._

_Well, maybe that's not entirely true… I do have one memory- the one good thing that I hold onto in this nightmare of a realm in between time and space. Something warm, bright, and comforting. Something that made me smile when I had no reason to and laugh when I was afraid. Something that made me… happy. _

_It's so dark. Dark, and quiet, and lonely. Through the vastness that is an eternal pitch black void, I hear nothing, see nothing, feel nothing. It's so awful that I grow desperate to escape, but from what and to where? I try to call out, but it's like my voice has gone mute. Try to reach out, but have no form. Why? Because I have ceased being. I no longer exist in any time or any world._

_Yet how can I still think and know? Know that I am gone. Shouldn't there have been an end? No thoughts to think or care about; simply nothing at all? Just another empty speck in the void. In all honesty, this might be an even worse fate than never existing at all._

_From the edge of my sights- yes, sights, I can…see? That can't be right- a small blip of light, like one of those small sparks one sees shooting in the air off of a warm fire, flickers into view and then disappears once more. I stare at the spot it came and left at, unable to move. Suddenly, there's another. And another. One by one, the small lights flicker at me, as if waving hello. They seem so familiar, yet my- what's it called again- mind can't fathom why, especially not in this place._

_Then, they're getting closer… closer and closer until they overwhelm me with their luminescence; until there's nothing in my sights save their bright, cheerful glow and then…_

_And then it all goes dark again…_

…

Wherever I am, it's very nice. Something warm radiates from above, heating my back. A soft caress of nothing brushes past my cheeks, toying with my hair. Beneath me, something soft and fresh-smelling cushions the spot where I lay. It's quiet like before, but it's a peaceful kind of quiet.

Then I'm suddenly jerking myself up as three words come to mind: Earth. Wind. Sun.

Slowly, as if afraid, I open my eyes and gasp in amazement. I'm in a forest, lush and green, blooming with life. So many colorful pastels of purple, and pink, and blue, and red, and any more one could imagine have been sprinkled around a field of wildflowers. A sky, never so blue or clear, hangs above me with a brilliant yellow sun radiating everything below. The air is clean and cool, tickling every inch of my body.

My body... Am I… whole?

I look down and it's true. I can breathe. I can move. I have hands, and feet, and fingers, and everything else that would make up a person. I have a heart that's beating like music to me. And it's all enough to make me want to cry, because I can hardly believe it.

I am _alive_.

As memories pour in though, questions also begin to form. So to make it easy, I go over what I do know.

My name is Lira. I'm sixteen years old. I lost most of my memory, but I made even better ones. I had a friend… no many good friends. _What were their names? _Sunflora, Chimecho, Loudred, Diglett, Wigglytuff, Chatot, Dugtrio, Croagunk, Corphfish, Bidoof, Celebi, Grovyle. _And the last one?_ I smile. Ri: my teacher, my partner, and my best friend.

We went on many adventures together and helped so many people. We saved the world and ended a future of darkness. I am from that future, so I had to go away… but I'm back.

I was once a human, but I turned into a-

Wait… I look back at my hands. Where there was once fur, I now have soft peach skin. I have five fingers, not three. I feel at my face: two ears along the sides of my head, nothing dangling from the corners of my temples down to my shoulders, and a nose instead of a snout. I'm wearing clothing; a black tank top, denim shorts, a pale yellow scarf, and black footwraps. There's a black masquerade mask attached to my belt loop.

I'm not a Riolu. I'm not even a Pokemon at all anymore. I'm human again.

"What?" I can't help but whisper to myself, still staring down at my returned form. Nothing adds up anymore. I shouldn't be here. And how did I get back to normal? "Where am I?"

"Lira," a deep, soothing voice rumbles. Looking back behind me, I see that I'm not alone. It's Dialga; the guardian of time. At first- and after everything I've been through, it's only natural- I flinch, scooting away from him some before calming down enough to remember that he's not the same as he was when he fought Ri and I on Temporal Tower or in the dark future. "You are home." Noting that I continue to stare at him, confused and bewildered, he explains further, "Time has been repaired. The world is once more balance. All is as it should be."

It takes me a moment longer to piece together what he's saying, "You mean… I'm back in my own time? Everything's back to normal or at least… how it used to be?"

"Yes, although…" he pauses, as if finding it difficult to continue. Suddenly, his eyes begin to glow and I find myself looking at what he sees through telepathy. I find myself looking at my own face and I'm not quite back to normal. My hair, instead of brown, has remained a vivid blue. My eyes have stayed a striking shade of reddish–orange. "Whatever occurred in the Passage of Time that caused your transformation has made a- as of I know now- permanent effect on your genetics. You're still very much human- that much was fixed when the planet stabilized itself, but there remains some that couldn't be changed back."

"I…I'm human again…" I begin to quiver and shake, joy overwhelming me. "I don't care how I look; I'm me again!" I cry out happily, standing with a wide grin on my face. At first I stumble forward, tripping on my own two feet. It's been so long since I've walked with these legs- _human_ legs! I focus the next few minutes- with Dialga watching me silently- on taking small steps on my tiptoes. Then, the steps turn to a walking, then jogging, then jumping, until I'm bounding all over the place!

Yet despite my happiness, I find myself very confused, slowing to a stop as it all hits me hard. "But… Dialga, how am I still here? We changed the future, so how am I still alive? That future doesn't exist, so I shouldn't exist, right?" I need answers.

"You are not wrong, child," he assures me in a steady voice, "However, you aren't quite right either." He paces in back and forth in front of me. "As many would assume- as _I_ would assume, you should not be here… not now. Yet a higher being, a greater force than I may hold that power to keep you and every creature on this earth alive despite whatever change of fate."

I shake my head, even more confused, "I… I don't understand."

"Everything in this world is connected," he says, facing me, "Some way, somehow, we are all pieces of the same puzzle fitting together to create the world. And while tides may turn in an instant, dramatically changing the world as _we_ know it, it remains whole, sharing the same past, present, future."

I remain silent, still, in awe at what he's telling me.

"The future itself is always changing. Every decision we make can lead us on a different course than what was once believed or planned. This strange, ever unknown variable is… somewhat of a flaw in the course of fate and the universe.

"But the bonds we make with others, with every friend or foe, love and hate, create an infinite amount of ties that bind the world and stabilize it, testing the boundaries of fate and the supposed inevitable. The bonds of nature, which continues to thrive despite whatever evil is thrown its way. The bonds of you and your friends, which have kept you going in the hardest and most trying of times. The bonds of your mother and father, who brought you into this world… We are all bound. And we are all one."

I blink up at him, gaping… Talk about some food for thought. "How do you know all that?"

It might just be my imagination playing tricks on me when I see him smile, "I am the Guardian of Time, and have been so since this world's beginning. Why would I not?"

"Guess you have a point there…" I say, a little embarrassed.

"In all honesty…" he says, his face turning upward toward the open sky in self-musing, "As a time-traveler herself, Celebi should have known all of this as well. It is easy to understand why most wouldn't know all of this- only those who have swam through the seas of time would even remember a change in the world- but never would you or any future being have truly disappeared. Everything would have just reset itself, creating new memories and new histories…"

"So… Grovyle, Dusknoir, the Sableye, and I… We'd still remember the dark future because we've time-travelled?" I ask.

"Having done so, you've all personally created a disturbance in the fabric of time, influencing it, so yes."

"Why wouldn't Celebi remember? I don't think she'd lie to us about disappearing on purpose; that's kind of a big thing." What is Dialga saying? What he's talking about now makes even less sense.

"I don't believe she would either. Her heart is pure and she would never do any ill will. By all accounts, _I_ should have known during the planet's paralysis of this, but the being I was then…" he shakes his head in dismay, "Primal Dialga, I believe you all called me? That wasn't who I am, and I'm not saying so in defense. In no way can I ever defend the actions I did in that future. But that darkness… it was overwhelming and it seemed like some of my thoughts weren't my own. Like something buzzing in my ear, clouding my knowledge and judgment, hiding it all from me… There is a chance that darkness likely caused some distortion in Celebi's mind as well, making the both of us forget.

"But whatever it was is gone now, and is something I intend to investigate. Either way, it is not why I'm here."

I peer at him curiously, one eyebrow raised, "Why are you here? No offense or anything, but don't you have a tower to guard?"

He ignores the second question, "I am here, child, because there is much you need to know. And your journey is not through."

"Another suicidal quest?" I ask with a smirk.

"Perhaps not," Dialga replies, giving me his version of a shrug, "A new future, young Lira, awaits you, and I come with warning. The road ahead will bear many struggles, challenges, and choices. Your heart will break. Your mind will try to snap. You will face pain I would not wish on the worst of my enemies."

"So much for optimism," I mutter.

"_Hush!_" he yells, obviously through with my sarcasm and shutting me up fast, trapping me by the direness in his tone. "I understand the emotions and confusion that stir within you, but you must listen," he continues, his voice returning to a calm level.

After some hesitation, I nod, sitting on the grass and looking him in the eye with all seriousness.

"Your life- in that dark future and in this one- has never been easy…. And yet… you stay pure. How? Perhaps that is a thing I will never know. Yet it is all the same for you, for Ri, for Grovyle, Celebi… and yes, even Dusknoir."

I'm about to open my mouth to retort in anger and indignation, but quickly hold back my words, fearing another reprimanding- one in which he, literally, tries to knock some sense into me.

"That innocence, I believe, is why you were chosen for something far greater. As the Relic Fragment chose Ri, as the Dimensional Scream chose you to master it, as I choose Dusknoir to lead an army and fate choose all five of you to find each other… You all were chosen for a title befitting your deeds and your heart.

"I am the Guardian of Time. My counterpart, Palkia, is the Guardian of Space. You were born a Guardian of Aura, but you're so much more.

"You and your friends, the protectors of the sun and the heroes of a new dawn, are the world's Guardians of Light. Despite the darkness that may surround you, you have the will to fight through your despair and remain uncorrupted. Actions of hate, or jealously, or destruction you are aware of, but remain foreign. Your pain sharpens your heart into a fine blade not of fury, but of a hidden sense of strength. And you, the warrior, shall wield it with in defense of the innocent. It is no easy life, but it is your duty."

I stare at my own twiddling fingers, my jaw dropped slightly, and find myself shivering. His words are humbling, inspiring, but at the same time, an unknown sense of fear creeps up my spine. His words also seem well rehearsed; as if this has been something he's been holding back, just waiting for the right moment to reveal it. _Not_ _all of it_, I think. There has to be more he's hiding, more that he won't tell me because he thinks it's not time for me to know. What duties, what forces will I need to overcome because of this suddenly dubbed title?

Only a low, throaty rumble and the nudge of something against my forehead make me look back up. Dialga's face in barely three inches from my own, his eyes staring deep into mine. "The title of a Guardian is that which you were prophesied with since birth." He rises once more, "Yet as I've said, your journey is not through."

"What… do you want me to do?" I ask, "What am I _supposed_ to do?"

He shakes his head, "That, I believe, is up for you alone to make. Yet you are given many options as of now."

"My options?" I wonder aloud.

"This world, this form, this is who you were born to be. To live in this time as a human," he grins sadly, "But… things can change, can't they? And they have. Your spirit now connects to that of Pokemon of the past. And seeing as how I owe both you and your friends a debt of gratitude, I will allow you to go back to that time to return to him."

"I can see Ri again?" I say, nearly ready to break down.

"Yes, but it will not be without its price. To return is to never come back to this time; you get one chance. One too many rips in the fabric of time can prove catastrophic." My smile falls after hearing this. "And, seeing as how in that time you took a different form, you must return to it as well."

"You mean I'll turn into a Riolu again…" I say, staring at my feet.

"I will give you time to think about your answer," he says after a moment of complete silence.

I nod; I'm going to need time to sort all this out. But, as I've learned of late, time goes awfully fast. In the following stillness, with Dialga watching me expectantly, I think back to something he mentioned earlier and question, "My parents? We saved Ri from what happened in that future. Did they-?"

He interrupts with after shake of his head. "I am… sorry," he states solemnly, he eyes starting to glow again, "There was… an accident."

Images flash through my mind: A family drive. A young child strapped in a car seat, looking with wide eyes out the window, her hand in her mouth, in the back while her mom and dad chatted up front. The screech of tires skimming on hot pavement. The chaotic whirl of the vehicle as it spun about, suddenly slamming to a stop as it collided with a tree. Pain cutting deep into the right side of the child's skull and liquid life running down her face, an atonement to the fresh blood on the shattered glass just ahead, just in view. A shrill, sad, and lonely scream piercing the air.

"…_Mommy? Mommy! Daddy! Wake up! WAKE UP!"_

Brought back from the all too real and now very familiar vision of the past, I cry out, grabbing at my arms and going into spasms as the memory overwhelms me. _My_ memory. From this future. The tears begin to fall just as they had on that day so very long ago.

Dialga- ever patient, but hardly ever consoling- waits for me to calm down some before speaking again, "Your only memories of your past being in the dark future, I know that this life is a lot for you to take in. However, I will help you try to remember enough to know how to interact with people you will- as you once did- encounter. That is, saying your Dimensional Scream doesn't tell you enough. Things are very different here than they were in your world of the planet's paralysis; it is kinder, but it is not without its dangers." He nods off to the side and I look over to spot a camouflage pack lying up against a tree. It's only vaguely familiar.

"What?" I sniffle, still hurt by the replay of my parents' deaths and anger slowly bubbling and brewing inside, "You… You're just gonna leave me here? Without a clue?!"

"I'll be waiting for you and your answer by the Passage of Time. Near there is where you can reunite with Grovyle if you wish."

"Why not just teleport us there now? Save us both some time."

"There is still much you need to learn, young Guardian," he says, already fading back through time, "And how can you learn if a choice is made for you?"

With that, he's gone, his words echoing around me.

"Great, Lira," I grumble to myself, "just great." Heading over to where the pack lies, I continue the small rant to myself, "Help a legendary Pokemon by doing his job for him, save countless lives, and prevent a future of eternal darkness," I heft the pack up into my arms, trying to ignore the ache of my head and the few second vision of déjà vu, "then die and come back right smack in the middle of nowhere, only for that certain Pokemon to send you on another journey for a lesson about life! Then pick between the people you care about most!"

Everything hitting me at once, the loss, the confusion, the pain, and the fear of choosing builds up into a fury I can't control. I feel like I've been led on this entire time, as if this all just some twisted game of Skitty and Rattata that someone is playing with my life. And for what? I changed the future, but I'm one out of only a few who even know about that now. If I hadn't been me, if I hadn't been born with this stupid ability, I could've been just an oblivious and carefree as the rest of the world. If the Dimensional Scream had picked someone else to be saddled with, I could be out there with Grovyle and Ri right now, living my life as a normal human being: no powers, no world to save, no abandoning anyone.

Why did it have to be me?

"I'm so sick of this!" I scream, throwing the pack with all might as far as I can. It's the one act of retaliation I can think of against the hand I've been dealt.

Yet after a moment, I pick it up once more and start walking. What choice do I have?


	2. Chapter 2: The First Steps

Hours trekking through the woods and I've still yet to see a sign of civilization, or life period. I have no idea where Dialga dropped me off at, but so far I'm starting to think I would've been better off lost in the dark future. At least there I had just a small idea about what I was doing. Whoever the girl was that existed in this future, she's not me; not anymore. That girl lost her parents too, but she didn't experience all of that extra loss and heartbreak. We both share the title of a Guardian of Light, we're both the same person, yet she was born in the sun, where I was born in darkness. How much has that changed me from the person I was, or the person I might have been? If I had just forgotten it all like the rest of the world…

Sighing, I sit down against an oak and remove the pack from my shoulders. The sun is going down now; it won't be long before dark and I might as well see what I have to keep me going. Inside, I find items that of any typical trainer might have. I lay them out as follows: a Pokedex, a few potions, vitamins, a first-aid kit, a compass, couple of maps, some food stuffs and dishes, a half-gallon container of water, basic cooking equipment, hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, two extra sets of clothes, a pair of tennis shoes, a sleeping bag. It's a crowded mess in the pack when I put it all back in, but I really don't care. Frankly, after what I've been used to carrying around, most of this stuff seems a little unnecessary- just extra weight. Funny how before I got by just fine with some seeds, fruit, and a bandana.

There's some Pokemon food and a small case of poffins among the food items. I pop one of the latter into my mouth and grin as the sweet taste hits my tongue. They're almost as good as Chimech-

…_Oh… Yeah…_

I busy myself then with looking at what's in the side pockets. I'm surprised when I find not only three Pokeballs, but badge and ribbon cases as well. I recall briefly what they're for from stories my parents had passed on to me before they died. Dad had been a trainer; Mom had been a coordinator. They'd told me that's how they had met. So which had I been in this future?

I take one of the badges in my hand, flipping it around in between my fingers. As expected- and hoped for- voices begin to dance in my mind.

"_I gotta hand it to you; talk about tough. You and that Pokemon of yours sure got fighting spirits. You two deserve this. As the Rustboro City Gym Leader, I present to you the Stone Badge."_

"_This is so cool! Thank you! What do ya think, Treecko? Our first one! And to think we're just getting started."_

"_Tree! Treecko!"_

I smile. Looks like Grovyle and I had quite the history in this time as well. The course of fate couldn't do a thing to change that, just like Dialga said. Still, I wonder what happened. That one vision wasn't anywhere close to telling me everything. And besides, there's no order to the badges in their cases, each one being incomplete; same goes for the ribbon cases. There's got to be more to this. And why didn't I try to finish what I started with any of them? I pick up a ribbon next.

"_What a surprising and outstanding victory! Congratulations to Lira on the win! And now, our own Nurse Joy will present her the Lilycove City Ribbon!"_

"_No sweat, huh? See? Who needs grace and poise? You're awesome anyway, and now we've got this to prove it. This is all thanks to you, Dusknoir."_

Dusknoir?! Why was he on my and Grovyle's team?! After everything he's done! I could never forgive someone like him.

_But that might not have been him,_ another side of me reminds my angered self, _He could've been different in this future, just like you were. _Still, that fact doesn't make the pain of his betrayal any less infuriating, or the bitterness I feel toward him any less loathly. After what he did to Ri, after he tried to kill all of us just for the sake of saving his own skin and that miserable future, there's no way he'd get any sympathy from me.

So why do those words feel so empty?

I need some answers. But then, there's no one to ask. Or maybe… Grinning, I take the three Pokeballs and toss them into the air, "Okay, if anyone's in any of these, please come out!" But they all just crash to the ground, popping open empty. "Well… it was worth a shot anyway." Two of these Pokeballs must belong to Grovyle and- dare I say it- Dusknoir. I have no idea who the third one belongs to. Until I find them, I guess I really am on my own.

The last thing I find is a pouch full of money, which is a relief. It's not Poke, but human currency. Still, I think I can figure it out; it can't be that different. Another voice appears as I start counting the lot.

"_All this is for me?"_

"_Of course! Everything you're parents saved up goes to you. Just contact me whenever you need more and I'll send it right away. Here's the number in case you forget."_

Deep in the pouch is a small slip of paper with numbers written on it. I don't know what they're for just yet, but I keep the paper anyway. It's got to be important somehow.

Well… that's that. Nothing more to be said or done now, and the day's coming to an end. I guess the only thing left for me to do is get some rest. I tuck the pack back behind my head as a pillow; it's too warm a night for a sleeping bag anyway. "Never thought I'd miss that old pile of hay…" I say to the lonely wind. And somehow, I manage to sleep.

…

_You will pay! All of you will pay!_

_Ruined! Everything ruined because of YOU! _

_And now you're mine! Your friends aren't with you now; they can't protect you now, little Guardian! Little worm! Insolent worm!_

_You will pay, pay, PAY!_

…

I sit up with a gasp, finding myself drenched in cold sweat. Not again; not those nightmares all over again. I've already remembered my past in the dark future, or at least most of it. And the danger of that is gone now, so why are these still happening? Just what was that? Or more importantly, who, and why did their voice sound so familiar?

The sun's up. I need to get moving again. I can think about it on my way, but I shouldn't waste time by just sitting around. So once more, I start walking.

Sometime into the trek, I hear panicked voices shouting not too far in the distance. In an instant, I'm running toward them. Even if they don't need my help, whoever they are, maybe they can give me some clue as to where exactly I am and show me a way out of this forest.

"Gah! Jolteon, stop that! We need to keep moving if we're gonna make it to town by nightfall. Please get out there- yow! Cut that out!"

Breaking through the brush, I find myself standing on a dirt trail, two other humans before me; a young boy and girl. Each of them look about eleven years-old, with orange hair and bright green eyes. The girl wears a spring green summer dress with flip flops while the guy is dressed in denim jeans, work boots, a black cap and t-shirt. The Jolteon in question has dug a hole for itself in the ground, refusing to budge while the kid pulls on his tail in attempts to get him out. "I'm not going anywhere!" he says, sparks flying from his fur in his agitation, "We've been walking for an eternity now and I'm tired!"

I can't seem to muster any surprise from hearing Jolteon speak. This has become the norm for me I guess. Maybe even though I'm human, this is one of those things Dialga was talking about; the things that still cling to me genetically from being a Pokemon before. Can't say I'm complaining about it.

"What's up?" I ask, revealing myself to the trio.

"Hey," the boy says when he sees me, "Can you give us a hand? My Jolteon just won't listen to me and we're in a hurry!"

"Try any funny stuff like this one over here, human, and you'll really be in for a shock!" Jolteon says to me, a tiny bolt of lightning flying up in warning. I can't help but giggle a little at the hidden joke. Strangely enough, I think I know what to do here.

Stepping around on the other side of the small pit, I place a hand over one of the boy's wrists, "Let him go," I say calmly. For some reason, he listens. Meanwhile, the Jolteon looks at me curiously. Looking around, I find just the thing that might do some good. I'm gone for just a second, but I return with two handfuls of Oran Berries I found from a nearby bush. Talk about lucky. "Here, these'll give you plenty of energy," I say to the Jolteon, holding them out, "You'll be up and running in circles in no time until you get to where you're going for a nice long nap."

He sniffs them before tilting his head up at me for a moment longer. "Well, alright," he says, eating one from out of my hand, "At least you seem sane. Maybe you don't have any idea what I'm saying, but if you can, human, try to convince lamebrain over there to let us stop once in a while."

I nearly make him choke on the berries when I softly reply with, "I think I can talk some sense into him." I head over to the boy and offer a berry to him as well. "This should make you feel better too."

He just makes a face, "Eww, gross! Uh, thanks and all, but no thanks. I'll be fine, really," he laughs a bit, scratching the back of his head, "You could say that I'm kinda used to being zapped by now."

I just shrug, "Ok, then. More for Jolteon," and place them on the ground in front of the Lightning Pokemon. "Have you all been traveling for a while now?"

"Yeah, since sunrise. We've been trying to get to Rinshin Town," the girl replies, "How'd you know?"

"Call it a hunch," I say, "You know if you've been going none stop, your Pokemon might just need a break. As tough as they are, no one can keep going forever."

"But we need to get to the town as soon as possible!" exclaims the boy, "Or else we're going to be late for the Fighting-Type Battle Royale!"

"What in the name of Arceus is that?" I ask, confused.

"You mean you've never heard of it?" the girl asks. Seeing the shake of my head, she continues, "It's this annual competition honoring Fighting-Type Pokemon. Competitors dress up like Fighting-Types and then go against in each in ring matches. There are two different competitions going on at the same time; one with people battling each other on their own and another with people battling side by side with their Fighting-types."

"And I'm going to enter with my Medicham," adds the boy, "That is, if we can ever get there."

Well that complicates things. I'm going to need to think for a moment; I'm not sure if Jolteon's going to like needing to go all that way to this town without rest. And to be honest, I don't see these kids being able to do it either. They're too riled up over this competition that they're not thinking straight. But then, what can I do? I'm not their mother; I don't even know them.

"Ask him to battle," Jolteon tells me, "He never misses a chance to battle."

"But I don't have any Pokemon to battle with," I mutter back to him under my breath. Still, that gives me an idea. "Hey," I say in a normal tone to the kids, "I've got some knowledge about Fighting-Types. Why don't you show me what you and your Medicham can do? Maybe I can help and that way, everyone else can rest up for a moment."

"You mean battle? You're on!" the boy says excitedly.

"Told you so," Jolteon states smugly.

I make a nervous laugh, "Not quite… I'm a fighter, but I don't have any Pokemon on me…"

"You mean you're travelling alone?" the girl asks.

"Nothing I can't handle," I reply, "I used to have Pokemon, it's just…" I try to think of the best way to put it that might even marginally make sense to them, "We got separated. I know where they are though, and I'm trying to find them."

"Oh…" the girl takes a moment to herself. Then she smiles, taking out a Pokeball from a pouch at her side, "Well, you can borrow one of my Pokemon then. I don't have any Fighting-Types, but my Turtwig is as tough as they get!"

Me and my big mouth.

"Sounds good to me," adds the boy, "They've got about the same amount of experience and that means there's no type advantage for them either."

After a minute, I sigh, "Well… Why not?"


	3. Chapter 3: Learning New Tricks

In a burst of light, the turtle-like Grass-Type appears in front of me, staring at me curiously. "Huh, who are you?" he asks.

"Alright, Turtwig," says the younger girl as she kneels by the Tiny Leaf Pokemon, "this is, um…" She looks up at me, "Sorry, I don't think we've got your name yet. Who are you again?"

"Lira," I reply.

"Ok then," she smiles, "I'm Flora and over there's my brother, Roger. Anyway, Turtwig, I need you to listen to Lira and do what she says for now, ok? She's a trainer, but she doesn't have her own Pokemon with her right now. Do you think you'd mind battling with her?"

"Whatever, but it'll cost you a couple pieces of Pokeblock," he answers, but then chortles, "Just kidding. Sure, no problem, kid; this one seems alright."

While Roger releases his Medicham from its Pokeball, Flora continues, "Why don't you use your Pokedex to check out Turtwig's moves?"

"Right." _Why don't I do just that? _Seems like this trainer stuff is going to take a while to get used to, or get back to getting used to, as it would seem. Hunting through my pack, I pull out the device and fumble to figure out a way to turn it on. My cheeks burn red with embarrassment from the odd looks I'm getting, so I'm relieved when it finally blinks to life. Surely my dad or my mom one showed me how to use one of these things sometime or another when they were still around, right?

"Are you sure you're a trainer?" Roger asks.

"I'm a little rusty…"

Eventually, I get manage to get it working. Without asking for help, I might add. I hold it out at level to Turtwig and not long after, a picture of him pops up with a small list underneath: Flash, Giga Drain, Leaf Storm, and Earth Power. Great, so if I can just figure out what they do, I'll be set. Of course I've battled Grass-Types before and I've seen Sunflora fight loads of times- mostly with Loudred. But watching them fight and actually knowing what moves are for what and exactly what they can do is a little different. Sure, I won't be the one doing the actual battling this time, but I'll still be the one making the calls on what to do.

"Hey, newbie," I look down at my feet to see Jolteon standing by me. "Lookin' a little nervous there. Just try to keep your cool; I'll be here to give you any tips if you need 'em."

"The girl's got this, Jolteon," Turtwig answers for me, but then looks up questioningly, "You've got this, right?" Unsure of my own voice, I just nod in answer. I can try at least.

"Good luck, Turtwig," winks Medicham.

"Won't need it."

"Medicham, use Shadow Ball!" Roger shouts without warning. Before I know it, a dark, sparking orb is hurdling straight at us, or rather Turtwig. Some part of me wants to jump right in, but I hold myself back. Humans aren't supposed to do that, not in these battles; I'm sure of that much.

So what do I do?!

"Give him an order, girl!" Jolteon shouts.

"T-turtwig, dodge it! Hurry!" I manage to fumble out. And thankfully he does, just in the nick of time too. The Shadow Ball crash lands right in front of us, exploding dust and small pebbles into the air.

"_Treecko, on my cue…. Dodge! Now!"_

Huh? What was that? I've never gotten visions like those before…

"One more time, Medicham! Shadow Ball!" Ah! No time to dwell on it now! I need to concentrate.

"Keep dodging, Turtwig!" It's the best I can do at the moment. Just until I've come up with some sort of plan.

"What? Are you going to have him dance around the battlefield all day?" Jolteon asks with a snort, "Get in there and make a move!"

"I'm working on that…" I whisper through gritted teeth. But Jolteon's right; we can't keep it up forever. If Medicham was making any physical attacks, we could try to wear her out that way. So far though, that's not happening.

"_Ok, Treecko! Now use Giga Drain! Let's go!"_

That'll do. I'm not sure what it does, but we might as well. "Turtwig, try to get in close and use Giga Drain!"

It is not the move itself that makes me realize my mistake all too late, but Turtwig's tired sigh. Darting forward anyway, he lunges toward Medicham, encompassing himself with a bright green wave of light. The light bounces from him, creating a beam almost like an aurora, which strikes the Fighting-type before returning to him with a healthy glow. "Did Turtwig just get zap some energy back?" I ask to myself out loud.

"This early in the fight? Highly unlikely," Jolteon answers.

_Oops. _Think! I need to think! Surely that old trainer's in me somewhere; I just need to find her. And fast! "Medicham, use Hi Jump Kick!" I try to shout for Turtwig to move, but he's too close in range. There's no time for him to get out of the way before the Meditate Pokemon bounds at him. I almost can't look as the attack strikes at full force and I feel my cheeks heat up in shame. This is a lot harder than I figured it would be.

Groaning on the ground, the Grass-type tries to push itself back up on its feet. However, a powerful attack like that obviously has weakened him pretty badly. Roger grins smugly, "Looks like this'll be an easier win than I figured. Alright, Medicham! Let's try to wrap this up! Hi Jump Kick, again!"

"Got it!" She hops once more high into the air, coming down upon Turtwig quick and strong.

"Turtwig use Flash!" I scream at the top of my lungs, holding my fists nervously in front of me and sealing my eyes shut. I don't know where that came from, but I can't look.

Someone cries out and there's a rumbling pound against the earth, followed by a moan. After a moment of silence, I crack one eye open for a small peak. I'm stunned when I see Turtwig perfectly fine, standing proud and tall despite his beat up appearance. And I'm even more shocked by Medicham's hole on the ground, filled with broken up bits of rock and small boulders. She kneels beside it, looking a little worse for wear herself.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" exclaims Jolteon, "Not half bad thinking kid, using Flash to momentarily blind Medicham like that. But you might want to make a move while you still can."

I nod. "Right. Ok, Turtwig, now use Earth Power! Hurry!"

Rearing back on his hind legs first to build up momentum, he then powerfully stamps down with his forelegs. A small eruption of dust and stone forms around him just as the ground begins to crack, trailing a path straight to Medicham. There, the earth shatters away completely, breaking out from underneath her and sending some of the boulders flying upward to crash straight back down at her. "Alright! Nice one!" I cheer.

"We're not out of the woods just yet, kid," the Tiny Leaf Pokemon reminds me.

Just then, Roger makes his next move, "We're not giving up so easily! Medicham, use Psychic on Turtwig!" And then, as her eyes start to shine a light pinkish-purple, Turtwig is lifted into the air with the same glow surrounding him, unable to control his own movements. Now here's something I can work with. After dealing with Mesprit's psychic attacks as a Riolu, I know just what to do.

Psychic-type moves require a great deal of concentration to perform, needing strength of the mind rather than brute force. So if we can just break her concentration… "Turtwig, Leaf Storm! Go!"

It is with much effort that he manages to move his head enough to make the attack. With the wind suddenly spinning in all directions around us, a haze of leaves begin to form, hiding most of the battlefield from view, yet never passing through its boundaries. Turtwig must have some amazing control. _ He's a lot more powerful that I originally figured._ I can barely make him and Medicham out through the mass of swiftly soaring bracts.

"Medicham," I hear Roger exclaim on the other side of the Pokemon-made storm, "Use your Psychic to slam Turtwig into the ground!" Uh-oh, better move fast. I see something blur through the leaves; it can only be Turtwig dropping.

"Turtwig! When you land, I want you to use Earth Power one more time!"

The leaves all fly into the air as one, just at the moment that Turtwig makes impact. With the force of Medicham's Psychic throw right behind it, it practically doubles the power of the blow. Now I just pray that he endured the landing. Dirt and rock soar upward, in a straight, direct path, linking the two Pokemon. It is only when the dust has settled and the leaves float down back to the forest floor that we discover the victor.

Both Turtwig and Medicham stand there for a moment, but as the last leaf falls, as if signaling the battle's end, the latter collapses, unconscious. "Medicham is unable to battle," Flora states with a smile, "Lira and Turtwig win! Great job, Turtwig!"

"Not just great, awesome!" I add, grinning as well.

"You did great too, Medicham," says Roger after feeding her a revive.

"Thanks," she replies then nods to Turtwig, "And congrats. You better be prepared next time though; I might just get cha," then laughs lightly.

"Medicham, you're really tough," I tell her, "And using your Psychic attacks against other Fighting-types will give you a huge advantage at that Battle Royale of yours. Just be careful with your Hi Jump Kick; don't want it causing more damage to yourself than your opponents. Use it only if you have to, or if you have a clear opening."

"Guess I should practice my accuracy then," she nods, "I'll keep trying to improve it."

"Wow, Lira, you had me going there for a minute that you didn't have a clue what you were doing," Roger says.

I make a little nervous laugh, scratching the back of my head and unwilling to admit that it was just that, "Yeah… What can I say? I like going for a big, dramatic finish… Hehe…"

With brief introductions continued, I learn that Flora and Roger are both from the Sinnoh Region and are actually siblings, the latter being the eldest. Their mother, Gardenia, a recently retired Grass-type Gym Leader, sent them both off on their Pokemon journey as soon as they were of age, saying it would be good for them. Turtwig is actually Flora's first Pokemon, having grown up by her side since she was a little girl. She hopes to be a master of Grass-types just like her mom. Roger, however, hasn't any plans yet, choosing just to enjoy his time travelling and battling. I hate having to lie, but I just told them I was a trainer with some combat experience. How do you get around to telling someone that you were once a Pokemon and have been sent on some life-changing experience by a legendary anyway? Yeah. Better not to bring it up.

The time we spend simply talking as we wait for the Pokemon to rest up and heal drags on into midday, the only reason we are even reminded of this being the hungry growling of our stomachs. Of course, Roger's none too thrilled with the continued delay in his journey, but the call of food easily sways him to break just a little longer. Enough time for him to show me what he himself can do as a fighter for the Battle Royale. He's constantly off balance and his punches and kicks aren't much more than what someone would spot during a fight on a playground, but he's not entirely unteachable either. Against people who likely have spent their entire lives training though, like Battle Girls and Black Belts though? He'll definitely face some trouble.

"Try to focus on finding your center," I tell him after we've finished eating, facing off with him once more, only this time person to person. If I feel a lump in my throat from quoting my own teacher, I ignore it.

He gets into position- for the fourth time- and we begin to circle one another. I had already explained to him the importance of looking for a slip up of his opponent's before making a move to strike, so that much we had covered if he could just remember it. This was a crash course after all and I just know what I do from what Ri showed me. I grew up watching and learning the fighting styles of Pokemon, not people. The differences are more than likely very severe.

Eyes glued onto him, I see him make one fatal misstep to the right. In an instant, I'm on him, swinging my leg low to knock him off his feet before placing one foot on his chest right after. What? No one said I would go easy on him. Not like the competition will and Ri didn't for me either. If he had, I wouldn't have been able to learn fast or know just what I was facing; it would've been doing me an injustice, even if I didn't like it all of the time. As he groans on the ground, I explain, "You spread your legs too far apart and made an opening. They're going to take advantage of that. Watching yourself is just as important as keeping an eye on whom you're fighting."

"Do you have to fight so rough?" he asks, pushing himself up into a sitting position.

"Expect worse when the real thing happens," I shrug.

"This is pointless," he stands once I've backed off a bit, "Even if all of this helps, I've never going to learn everything by the time we get to Rinshin Town. I just plan on going for it. I'll fight 'em head all on; none of this fancy stuff."

"And that's what'll make you slip up," I reply, "I'm the same way most of the time, but it's just like… like…" I try to think of a way to get him to understand, "Pokemon battling. You need to walk in with some sort of strategy as well as be able to think on your feet."

Hearing this, he groans, plopping back down. There has to be some way for him to get it. I know I can't help him much, but I can try. Looking around for ideas, that's when I spot Medicham, meditating alone a short ways away from the group. I sense her peace and calm, despite the unruly and impatient ways of her trainer. I smile: Roger's not a Pokemon, but then neither was I, not really. So maybe, just maybe, he can learn from them as well. Besides, they _are_ going to be fighting alongside each other- literally this time.

"Why don't you just think like Medicham?" I offer.

"What do you mean?"

"A trainer's supposed to be one with their Pokemon anyway, right?" I walk over and stand by her, getting her to open one eye at me in the process before she returns to her meditations. "She's pretty centered already, even though she needs a little help with certain moves. Watch her, and then try to think and act like she does. Try to let her be your teacher."

"Easy for you to say," she chortles.

"I think it could work," I reply.

She shrugs, "If you say so."

"Say, Lira," Flora looks at me, her eyes twinkling with what could only mean she's come up with some idea, "Why don't you come with us? Maybe your Pokemon are in Rinshin Town. Either way, you're a really good fighter. You could enter the costume one-on-one ring matches."

But I know Grovyle and the others aren't there. Still, I come up with some other excuse, "Maybe, only one problem: I don't even have a costume."

"Who says you don't? Put on your mask." I look down to where she points- the loop on my shorts. I had almost forgotten about it even being there; never did really understand what it was for though. Confused, but curious, I put it on and Flora beams at me. "See? You already look just like a Riolu!"

Wait… _What?!_

"See?" Digging through her bag, she pulls out a pocket mirror and hands it to me. I look and my jaw drops a bit. I really do sorta look like one. The hair, the eyes, the outfit, the mask… All I need are pointy little ears and fur and some kid would probably be trying to catch me. Guess that excuse failed.

"…and the winner of each competition gets a really cool prize!" states Roger, who I just now notice is talking, "A two-way deluxe ticket on a cruise line all the way to the Kanto Region."

Kanto? I search my brain for anything that might come up useful? I think Ri once explained to me that the regions left untouched by humans, the regions where places like Treasure Town and Fogbound Lake could flourish, were actually connected to some of the regions such as Sinnoh and Kanto, blocked off by natural formations and such that only Pokemon could cross. Unfortunately, I don't remember this one- Hoenn I think it's called- being mentioned on the list, but I'm pretty sure Kanto was. I know Grovyle and the others are in those 'unreachable' regions. If I can go to Kanto, and if I can find one of those places to cross back over, maybe I can find them!

Worth a shot. "Alright! I'm in! And Roger, you better bet that we're going to train hard for this."

His face pales just a tad, making his sister laugh, "Great…"

…

Night falls, just when we get within a few miles of the city. It is agreed that we'll head out bright and early to register for the Battle Royale and just make camp. For once since I got to this strange, new life, I feel safe, secure. Maybe things won't be so bad now, now that I have some company.

But I couldn't be more wrong.

No sooner have we fallen asleep that the dreams hit once more, in the dead of night, I find my nightmares have become all too much of a reality.


	4. Chapter 4: Nighmarish Invasion

When I first open my eyes, everything's fine; peaceful, quiet. But just a little too quiet. Not even the chirps of insects break through the still night. There's no moonlight to illuminate the surface of the world, nor is there a cloud to dot the dark sky. I was certain I had fallen asleep to a soothing breeze, but now the air is still. While I can't see anything, I can't shake away the feeling that something is horribly wrong.

"Flora? Roger?" I whisper, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and pushing myself up to turn to where they lay, "Hey, guys? Are you-"

They aren't there. Instead, their sleeping bags lay empty and in disarray, as if the two had bolted from them in a hurry. The camp fire is a dead heap of charred bits of wood and ash, still warm, yet not smoking from where the embers had gone out some time ago. A lantern and other items have been scattered around, possibly kicked away by a sudden retreat.

And they aren't the only ones missing. Turtwig and Jolteon had been sleeping out of their Pokeballs as well, but now they're nowhere in sight. Gone who knows where, just like their trainers.

Whatever threat made them leave, even if it's still here, I can't help the startled cry that bursts from my lips, "Flora! Roger! Everyone! Please, where are you?!" I don't even bother taking time to reach for a flashlight and instead create a miniature Aura Sphere in the palm of one hand to break through the darkness. Still, I see nothing and just this small luminescence isn't much help. _They're fine_, I try to reassure myself, even though I don't believe it for a split second, _Nothing's out there and they're fine. You're just being paranoid._

That lie is contradicted by a shrill scream tearing into the lonely night. It startles me so much that the orb of aura I had created blinks out. A lump forms in my throat and my heart pounds in my chest like it's about to burst.

It's too dark, but I'm not afraid of it. I can't be, not after having lived in it for years. So what's out there right now that's terrifying enough to cause me to tense up like this. "Flora!" I force myself to scream, because for some reason I can't make myself race toward the cry. "Flora! Is that you?!" But there's no answer.

The long period of silence gets me moving again. Not just moving, _flying_ through the brush, my hands held out in front of me to smack away snagging briars and gripping tree limbs. Cold beads of sweat collect of my forehead as I run, going who knows where.

For the first time in a long time, I am afraid, but there is nothing to place my fears upon.

The spark is so sudden, I feel my heart leap up into my throat with I see it. A bolt of lightning streaking the sky and brightening everything almost as clear as day for a split second. It's not natural though, I can tell that by the yellow glow; it has to be an electric attack. To me, however, it's a beacon, guiding me to my company and telling me they're still alive. Now if I can just get to them to ensure that they _stay_ alive!

_I warned you…_

I freeze in my tracks, turning deathly pale. I've heard that voice before. One which has haunted me all my life: past, present and future. One which sounds only in the cover of shadows, whispering a hidden omen in the farthest reaches of my mind. One which has thrived in every nightmare I have lived through, toying with my sanity as I have tried to piece together my hold on reality.

"Show yourself," I whisper through grit teeth, clenched fists shaking at my sides. It is only through a force of will that I form another, stronger Aura Sphere; I don't want to look. I don't want to see what's coming, but at the same time I know I have to, just as I've had to face everything else.

But I wasn't alone then.

A harsh echo of laughter erupts through the silence, travelling around me, as if to taunt me, before sounding from all around with no form to match itself with. But it is nowhere near frightful than what follows. A chill sets in my spine as a new voice, this one all too familiar, whispers in my ear, cold breathes tickling the lobe; Dusknoir's voice. "Poor, pathetic, little Lira… Still just a lost little girl with no family, no home, and no idea who she is. A small child who still cries after waking up from a bad dream and who's still terrified at the thought of being left alone. And now you'll be forced to leave someone you care about behind. Poor thing, really now, I_ almost_ feel sorry for you."

"Shut up..." I hiss, resisting the urge to look behind me. I can't help but feel that it'd only be a bad idea.

"What's the matter? Afraid of the truth? Afraid of facing what you are?"

"What are you blabbering about?"

"You're a Guardian of Light, aren't you? How foolish can you be? Are you so blind to not see that the title comes with sacrifice? Everything that's happened and everything that will be… it's because of what you are and the choices you make- who and what you choose to sacrifice. Just like how you nearly allowed Ri to die because you chose to defend Uxie. Like how you chose to run and leave him behind as an apprentice rather than stay and fight by his side. And your parents-"

"Shut _up!_" Screaming, I spin on one heel and launch my Aura Sphere straight at the chest of my assailant. But rather than making contact, I find myself shoved back, hitting the earth hard on my side and rolling away several feet. Even with the throbbing pain in my shoulder, I push myself up and glare hatefully at the figure. "You have no right, _no right_, to say that all those things were my fault! Not after everything you've done! And whatever happened to my parents, whether in the dark future or this one, isn't my fault!"

"Oh, isn't it? To you truly find it all some mysterious act of fate that both your parents were killed no matter what the outcome of the future? That somehow you, barely a toddler at the time, could survive without some force acting in your favor? Refresh my memory again, young one; how did your parents perish exactly?"

"They died in a car wreck. I was four. There was nothing I could do!" I snap.

"And in the dark future?" I fall silent. No one knows what happened to them; not even me. When I returned home from gathering thistle in the forest near the town that I was born in, I had returned to find my parents lying dead on the floor, their pale faces and wide eyes petrified with the fear they must have felt during their last moments. That's how the townspeople found us- the door wide open, myself screaming and crying and begging for my parents to come back. There was nothing to give the slightest hint of how they passed: no signs of struggle, no internal injuries, no marks. Nothing had been broken or stolen. We could all feel it though, even though we couldn't prove it- the cold hand of murder, as if it was still outstretched and waiting for another victim to fall into its grasp.

"How did they die, Lira?" Dusknoir questions again, hovering over me.

"No one knows," I reply in a soft, choked voice.

"Your parents were good people," he moves off somewhere behind me, his arms behind his back, "They just had the unfortunate luck of having you for their child. If you had only been there at the time, or if they had just given up your location, so much pain for all of us could've been avoided."

It takes me a moment to realize what he means, but when it all sinks in, it hits hard. My parents died for the price of my life. Yet still, another piece of knowledge has been revealed, one that coverts my anguish and guilt to unrelenting anger. "You were there…" I say with a gasp, everything beginning to go hazy. "You… you killed them…"

"I was simply following orders."

"_You killed them!_" I cry out, darting around and preparing to attack once more. Only one thing stops me from lunging forward and ripping up the Ghost-type to shreds for what he's done. We are not alone.

There they all lay: Flora, Roger, Turtwig, and Jolteon. In a piled heap, none of them moving. To either side of the small mass of bodies stand a pair of Sableye. And to make matters worse, each pair holds either a bound and chained Ri or Grovyle between them, on their knees and too injured to fight back.

"Dialga might've wanted to give you time to make a decision, but why wait? I'll go ahead and give you the choice right here. Pick one of them and both of you may go free. My men and I will not fight or pursue you ever again; we'll let by gones be by gones. However, the other will be executed immeadiately, to face the crimes the three of you committed. If you choose to fight me, or choose not to pick at all, I will be forced to terminate all of you. "

"Let them go, Dusknoir!" I order, forming an Aura Sphere in each hand. How did he capture them?! I know that Grovyle went with Dusknoir back to the future, but Grovyle was still strong enough to fight back. And there's no way Dialga would've let the monster travel back into the past and kidnap Ri, not after everything we've done! He wouldn't let us die like this, no, he would've killed me the moment I came back into existence. So why were they here? None of this is making sense!

"You know, if you really can't make up your mind, perhaps what you need is some… motivation." With a nod of his head, Ri is shoved forward to lie on his stomach. He bites his lower lip, trying to stay strong despite how much anguish he's in as the Sableye start to beat and kick at him, their laughter bouncing around my skull and rattling my brain to the point of pain.

"No, stop!" I scream, diving toward him. But at that moment, Grovyle is shoved down as well and given an even more severe beating. I skid to a halt, backing away shamefully. I know what sick game they're trying to pull. It doesn't matter who I run to, the other is going to suffer. The other will die, and I can't bear to lose either of them.

"Lira…" Ri manages to gasp softly through the hurt. "Please… d-don't worry about me. Grovyle… he'll protect you… You two… just go! Don't look back!"

"Don't listen to him!" Grovyle shouts angrily, "Lira, you care about Ri more than anyone! Just run! I've lived my life; I've served my purpose! But you two… You two have a chance to make something of yourselves and live a happy life. To have a future… And besides… If I… if I must sacrifice myself for something… I'd sacrifice everything to give you just that chance…"

"Lira, he's your family!"

"You both are the strongest of forces! You both care for one another! You both need to survive!"

My hands fly over my ears and I sink to my knees screaming, my eyes sealed shut as if that would make everything around me disappear. I can't do this! I can't! They both mean so much to me that nothing in this world could make me choose one over the other. But if I don't, we all die and it will have all been for nothing because I couldn't make a move! Tears stream down my cheeks and I shriek until I lose my voice and it's all just hopeless, hoarse cries. Ri's and Grovyle's protests join the chaotic chorus of the Sableye's and Dusknoir's laughter that rackets around my head. I can't take it!

_This can't be real! This isn't real! This isn't real! This isn't-!_

_Zap!_

I bolt up from the ground to a very real physical pain, my hair standing on end and my body shooting off sparks. I stare forward, screaming even as I try to catch my breath in my panic.

"Hey… Hey! Calm down; you're fine!"

That voice… I know that voice. Slowing my breathing, I look over to one side to see Jolteon sitting right next to me. Alive. And around us, Flora, Roger, Turtwig… they're all ok too. No one's hurt at all; they're safe and sound, sitting up in their sleeping bags.

And giving my very strange, tired looks.

"You're fine…" Jolteon repeats, but he still stares at me with concern.

"What's wrong?" Roger asks, "Bad dream?"

I'm silent for the longest while. This reality, the one I've truly waken up to, is hard to adjust to after the horrors I just saw. But this must be the real one; it's the only one that makes logical sense when I really think about it. So I nod, rubbing a throbbing temple, "Yeah, just a bad-" I can't say dream; it was still all too real for that. I sigh, "Just a nightmare…"

Flora scoots closer, handing me my canteen from where I left it. I take a good swig of it, as if filling my non-existent thirst would calm my nerves. "Wanna talk about it?"

That's an easy one to answer. I shake my head no without hesitation.

"Ok… Well, if you think you'll be alright now, we all better get some more sleep. The sun will probably rise in a couple hours and we want to get as much rest as we can."

At this I nod, but as everyone drifts off once more. I can only lay there wide awake in my sleeping bag, too scared to go back into that realm. The months of reprieve I had from my nightmares, when Ri was there beside me to protect me from them and be there when I woke up, are gone. I'm on my own again, and they once more have full range to torture me as much as they like.

I never could've imagined they'd strike back with this sort of vengeance.


	5. Chapter 5: What A Strange New World

"Finally!" shouts Roger to the wind as we stand upon a high hill overlooking Rinshin Town, "I never thought we'd get here!"

Despite my lack of sleep, I can't help but gape in amazement at the sight of the city. Compared to Treasure Town, compared to my village, compared to anywhere I've been period in all of my life, I have never seen so many buildings before. And they're huge! What would somebody even do with so much space? Tall structures about twenty stories high are spread far and wide, gleaming against the sun's rays. Cars bustle about on busy roads and the streets as packed with people. Just the sight of it all makes my head hurt.

"You worried for nothing," Flora states, sticking her tongue out at her brother before facing me, "What's up? Never been to a big city before?"

"Never…" I shake my head slowly, still staring intently at the town. It might be a lie though; maybe I have been to a place like this before and just can't remember. Either way, I don't think I like it. How does someone stop themselves from getting lost in all of that?

"Maybe we can see the sights when the Battle Royale's not going on. We better get to a Pokemon Center first though and give everyone a good rest. They've been training very hard."

"But we need to get registered!"

"Correction: _You, Medicham, _and_ Lira_ need to get registered! And we've got _two hours_ until registration closes, so we're getting everybody rested first, buster!"

I can't help but chuckle. Despite being the youngest sibling, Flora doesn't seem to have any qualms about taking control of a situation. "She does have I point. You'll want everyone to be in great condition if the fighting starts off right away." I follow her down the slope, as she has already headed off, leaving the rest of us behind. Not long after, I hear a groan and the shuffle of feet following us.

Winning this competition isn't the only thing I should focus on while I'm here. I'm a Guardian of Light and now, as if it wasn't already obvious beforehand, it's more than just a title. A title which I know next to nothing about. Perhaps my fellow humans may know something. They must have some way of keeping records, a historical archive or a library or something.

Ah! I can hardly believe myself. I'm acting as if I hardly know anything about my own kind at all… which, technically, I guess I don't. Growing up with Pokemon most of your life doesn't exactly prepare you for all of this. I've never really thought about it before now, how different I am than everyone else, not just in appearance, but in how I act and present myself. I've already caught the people I'm with giving my odd looks. How different is the world I'm used to in comparison to the one that I must now adjust to?

Well, on the bright side at least I won't have to learn another language. I may not be able to remember how to translate the language of the Unown, as Grovyle still can, but I didn't forget how to read.

As we locate and enter the place called a Pokemon Center, I nearly stumble back as the doors open on their own, a startled cry bursting from my lips. The others glance back, eyebrows raised. Blushing, I mutter, "I tripped…"

Yeah… Fitting in might be a problem for me.

The first thing I do when we walk in is look for the Physic that could've done that. However, there are none, and even more surprisingly for a place called a "Pokemon Center" there is quite a lack of Pokemon. I mean, there are a few here and there- a Poochyena, a Mudkip, a Pichu, and a Litleo- but they're all with trainers.

Again, I startle as the doors seal shut by themselves right behind me. Out of all the things I'll have to get used to, that's probably going to be high on the list of things I can't stand. I'm used to living in an underground base, with ladders, and carved out openings in the stone, and _normal_ doors. Or outside in the fresh air, camping under a clear sky or up in a tree canopy. Not that I don't know what human society is like entirely, but after so many years, everything is so… strange.

"Hello, Nurse Joy!" Flora greets a pink-haired woman by a large counter in the center of the room, "Do you think you could patch up my Pokemon for me real quick? Please?" She takes out five Pokeballs, along with Turtwig's, and sets them before her.

"Mine too?" requests Roger. I simply stand back behind them.

"Why, of course!" says the woman with a kind smile as they hand over their Pokemon, "Just please wait here while they're healed. Chansey, do you think you could take these to the back?"

"Right away!" replies a voice to a figure I can't see. I curiously peer over the counter to see the Chansey in question, too short to look over the counter herself. Not a wise move of the constructer's part, I mean, how is Chansey supposed to interact with the customers when Nurse Joy isn't there if she can't even see them? _Then again, I guess Chansey can't interact with them anyway if the customers can't understand a word she says…_

Flora goes ahead and takes a seat while Roger walks off who knows where. But all I can do is stand still like an idiot, an idiot completely out of place. There's chatter and light, quite music playing from somewhere to eliminate any awkward silence, but it's not what I'm used to. There's a juice stand open over by the left wall, but while it's tempting just so that I have something to do, it doesn't feel right.

I find myself suddenly missing the life of _Spinda's Café_. The loud bubbliness of every patron that stopped by to enjoy themselves. Spinda's, Wobbuffet's, and Wynaut's shouts to one another from across the way as they exclaimed what sort of meal had been ordered, what had been put into one of Spinda's surprise drinks at her juice bar, or what items had been recycled for something else. The upbeat music or singing that sometimes just happened, and people just joined in if they wanted to. It was always chaotic, but everyone was cheerful and lively.

I miss them so much. But shouldn't this be my real home? Where I belong?

"Hey, guys!" I hear Roger shout, "Well, how do I look?"

Looking back to where he had first disappeared to, my eyes widen to find Roger out of the cloths he had traveled with us in and now in a pair of blue yoga pants, yellow knee pads, no shirt, and a strange hat on his head. He's dressed like a shiny Medicham.

"You forgot the pink," Flora tells him, snickering.

"They're not all pink!" he retorts, "And as if I was going to wear pink!"

"Couldn't you have dressed up as another Fighting-type if you wanted to?" I ask.

"Well, yeah, I guess, but I wanted Medicham and me to look like a team."

"Excuse me?" the nurse approaches us, but what's strange is that she's looking right at me, "but are you Lira?" What would she want me for?

"Yes," I nod, "Is something wrong?"

"No, but there's a Professor Maxwell who wants to speak with you. If you'll follow me."

"Ok…" I such my mind for anything, but no one by the name of Maxwell seems to come up. I might as well meet the guy and find out who he is. It can't hurt and who knows what I'll learn.

At first, I'm very confused when she doesn't take me to a person, but rather a row of odd looking boxes lined up against the wall with even more curious machines standing between them. I watch another person place a Pokeball atop one of the machines and gape as it vanishes only for another to appear in its place. And while I'm staring, a voice makes me jump, "Lira! So good to see you again!"

I turn to one of the boxes and find the face of a man with Oxford Blue hair, some stubble on his chin, dark eyes hidden behind glasses, and light skin looking right back at me with a wide grin. He seems to be in his late twenties to early thirties, but also has all the youth of a child. He's new to me, but all at the same time so familiar. "Long time, no see! I'm glad I've gotten the chance to talk to you! I've been trying to contact you ever since I heard you had returned to Hoenn. If I had known that you were planning on making a stop to Rinshin Town, I would've waited for you. I was just there a few days ago."

"Hello, Professor Maxwell," I greet with a friendly smile of my own. I might not remember him, but whoever I was in this future knew him well, apparently. It's best for both of us if I just act casual.

"Maxwell?" he laughs, "I thought you'd be done with calling me that by now! I've told you plenty of times; just call me Max, ok?"

_Max… Max?_ Suddenly my eyes fly open, my head begins to pound, and I'm forced to lean against the side of the box for support as I practically double over. A vision- no, a memory- starts to play out in my mind.

"_Hello," greets Maxwell as a younger me sits up in a bed, a bandage wrapped around my skull. A Treecko sits in my arms, staring at the man as well, tilting his head to the side. "You must be Lira. I'm Max; it's nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you." He holds out a hand to me._

_My younger self shrinks back from him, however, distrust in my eyes, "You're the Pokemon Professor Maxwell. That nice Nurse Joy told me you'd be coming." I hold the Treecko closer to me. "You're not gonna make me go back, are you? Please don't make me go!"_

"_Make you go? Where? To the orphanage?" he chuckles softly, patting me on the head, "No; I won't. Don't worry about that."_

"_But Officer Jenny said I had to go back! I don't wanna go!"_

"_And you won't." He words shut me up fast and I blink up at him. "Tell me, hold old are you, sweetie?"_

"_Twelve… Why?"_

"_Well, last I checked, you only had to be ten to go on a Pokemon journey. Looks like your two years late, and if you want to go, then I don't see how anyone can stop you…"_

_I shake my head sadly, "I've got no money, Professor Maxwell. You need money and s'pplies to go on a Pokemon journey. I already asked." And it's true; I had. A lot. And every time they said because I had no parents to fund my journey, it was impossible for me to support myself or the Pokemon I journeyed with. If I wanted to go, I would have to wait until I was older and had a way to raise the money myself or until someone adopted me._

"_Well then… It's a good thing you have a guardian, isn't it?"_

"_No I don't…"_

_The Professor stares at me for a long while, a gleam in his eyes. It's take a while for me to get it, but when I do, I gasp, beaming. It is then that I lung forward at this man, despite my condition, wrapping my arms around him in an embrace. He rubs the back of my head, still grinning, and explains, "I knew your parents when I was younger, when I was a trainer and they were just starting out themselves. Every penny they left goes to you, and it's been saved up for some time now. I'll of course be watching your spending, but if you ever need anything, just ask me and I'll send the money to you right away. Now…" Reaching into a suitcase by his side, he pulls out a trio of Pokeballs. "If you're going on a Pokemon journey, you'll of course need a starter Pokemon."_

"_Starter?" I ask, very confused. Treecko looks from me, to the Professor, to the Pokeballs, and back again, scooting closer to my side._

"_Yes. You get to pick one Pokemon to begin your journey with. As you already know, there's Treecko, a Grass-type. But then there's also Mudkip, a Water-type, and Torchic, a Fire-type." As he says this, he releases each one from their Pokeballs for me to meet in person. The three stare intently at me from the foot of the bed, in wonder of who I'll decide to choose for my lifelong friend and partner. "My personal preference was a Treecko, and I'll assume he's yours as well. However, Mudkip has a great type advantage when it evolves and Torchic is a favorite."_

"_But…" I look over at the Treecko beside me, the one that I had spent so much time with even during the short while I had known him. I grin and smile at the young Tree Gecko. "Hey! You don't have to travel with that bully anymore. I know we haven't known each other long, but do you wanna be partners? Please? I really like you." The Treecko's mouth drops slightly as he gazes up at me._

"_I'm sorry, Lira," interrupts Max, "But I'm afraid that one's level might be a little high for a new trainer like you to handle. You'll need to pick one of these three." He returns the trio back into their Pokeballs, putting two away, but holding out the one with the second Treecko to me, "Don't worry though. We'll find him a good home. And that doesn't mean that the two of you will need to stop being friends."_

_My smile immeadiately fades away, but with a sigh, as I try to fight back my sadness, I reach out for the Pokeball. However, the minute I do, a green tail smacks it away and it goes flying, hitting the opposite wall. "Treecko!"_

_The Tree Gecko I've known glares at the Professor before smacking his tail at his now empty hand. "Ow! Hey!" He then runs around my form, crawling up my side to side piggy-back on my shoulders. I can't help but laugh._

"_Man that hurt…" Max mutters, but even as he rubs his aching hand, he must see something in the two of us. Some unspoken bond that could never tear us apart. And maybe this once terrified and paranoid Treecko somehow found a friend in this just as scared and lonely little girl. And maybe it was this friendship, and our happiness in it, that made him bend the rules a little just for us. "Well… I guess since that one's taken so much of a liking to you, there's nothing I can do, now can I?"_

"Lira, are you ok?" Max asks with concern.

It takes me a moment, but I give him a single nod and right myself. "Yeah… Stomach ache," I lie.

"Alright… Well, how have you been doing?"

"I'm alright. Met up with a few other kids and we're going to sign-up for a Fighting-type Battle Royale."

"You better stay safe; I heard the competition can get pretty rough. But I'm sure you can handle yourself. Are you going to enter with Lucario?"

Lucario? That explains the third empty Pokeball. But… it couldn't be… Could it? Despite this sudden information, I keep cool, "No, I'll be battling alone." It's best if I'm honest about this. I can't keep stacking lie after lie and if he does somehow find out otherwise, I know it won't end well.

"Really? I thought you two would be fighting together. You did say he's teaching you about aura after all. Frankly, I'd feel better if you were."

"He said he's not up for it. Only Arceus knows why."

"Professor?" a new voice breaks in which I can't make sense of where it's coming from. But as I watch Max turn his head, it must be coming from wherever he's at.

"Looks like I have to go," he tells me, "A new group of trainers just came in for their first Pokemon. I've been kept busy lately, but I'll try to catch you on TV if I can. Good luck! Bye!"

"Bye!" I wave; flinching as the box suddenly darkens. What an odd machine.

Flora runs up behind me, Turtwig in her arms, "You done talking Lira? We better go ahead and get you guys signed-up. Between you and me, I think Roger's gonna lose it if he has to wait any longer." My head aches, but I try to ignore it as I let her take the lead.

So I was right that Grovyle and I were partners in this timeframe. But a Lucario too? When… and it's not… I mean, it's got to be some mistake, or a coincidence. However, Dialga did say that everything and everyone was connected… Could this be one of those things as well? There are still too many pieces of this puzzle to figure out.

If only I could remember…


End file.
